Precariously Balanced
by Leda Omega
Summary: Most think that the Sith Empire was destroyed by the Republic two thousand years ago, but what if they've been living in secret on Korriban, planning their revenge? What if some Sith and some Jedi met each other on a mission? What if they worked together to recover a shipment of lost lightsaber crystals and a Sith holocron? "Ahsoka on the Run" never happened. AU.


Precariously Balanced

Chapter 1: Kaia

**Author's Note: I'm back with another Fanfic! Anyway, this is completely and totally AU so let me set the scene. "Ahsoka on the Run" never happened so she didn't leave the Order, the Council didn't act like a bunch of douche bags, and Barriss, thank the Lord, didn't end up in prison. But in this time and setting, the Sith Empire is back. Not the species, but the actual huge group of people. They claim to be the true practitioners of the Dark Side and despise the Rule of Two. You'll find out later in the story as to why, but anyway, our main character will be a fifteen year old Human girl named Kaia Incran. She is apprenticed to Darth Kronos, along with another Sith apprentice, Radulf. This will be her story, as well as others' stories.**

* * *

_**Kaia POV**_

"That's it, Kaia," my master said, encouraging me to release control over my emotions. I was in the training room with my silver blade drawn, fighting against my imaginary sparring partner.

_**Peace is a lie. There is only passion.**_

I cleaved downward, missing my opponent by a fraction.

_**Through passion, I gain strength.**_

The muscles in my arms contracted as I swung my lightsaber in a whirlwind. This pressured my sparring partner to back-flip away. I smirked.

**_Through strength, I gain power._**

The red-hot energy in me pressed against my skin, causing me to once again cleave at my opponent. I made contact and I relished his pain, even though he was non-existent.

**_Through power, I gain victory._**

I kicked the lightsaber out of his vapor hands.

**_Through victory, my chains are broken._**

He scrambled away from me, scared of his imminent death. But the darkness inside of me knew that it was time to finish him off.

**_The Force shall free me._**

Building up the dark energy in me, I let out a scream. The pillars surrounding me cracked and dust rained onto my head. I knew without a doubt that my opponent was utterly and completely defeated and dead. Even though he didn't exist.

My master clapped and said in his dark, yet scratchy voice, "Good job, my apprentice. That was almost satisfactory."

Suddenly, I felt a pressure in my windpipe and was lifted into the air by an unseen hand. Grasping my throat, I felt my lungs constrict and plead for air. "Almost isn't good enough, Kaia."

I struggled to gain control of my oxygen levels and I choked out, "Stop." I was thrown into a pillar and winced in pain, though I was happy to find that I had control over my breathing again.

"When I took you as my apprentice, you said that you would be the best Sith that this Order has ever known," Master shot at me, walking over to side and kicking my aching rib cage. I emitted a whimper. "You haven't been living up to that expectation lately."

Resisting the urge to glare at him, I stood up. "I'm afraid that you mistake me for Radulf, Master. I've only been achieving missions that seasoned Sith Lords died on."

He narrowed his yellow eyes at me. "You're in no place to criticize my other apprentice, young one. He's more experience than you."

"More air in his head, too."

Master kicked me against the pillar. "You will be quiet and respect your elders, Incran. Radulf is a better apprentice than you are now, and suggest that you don't forget it. He has managed to pressure me, the Dark Lord of the Order, during our spars. And you, well, we've never had a spar, have we? Guess why."

"I'd end up killing you," I replied sarcastically.

With a glare, he shook his head. "You have yet to prove yourself worthy of facing me in combat." He rubbed his forehead. "Maybe if you would be a little more like me, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Does this mean that if I get fitted for a life support suit, I can finally spar against you?"

Darth Kronos, my master, was the most powerful Sith in the Dark Order. But his strength in the Force didn't come without a price. When he was thirty years old, he had been on a mission to Dathomir and encountered the Nightsisters. Basically, they hadn't gotten along. Arriving back at Sith Academy, the Circle had decided to put him in a life support suit because of his rather severe injuries- something that vexed him to this day.

The suit covered his torso, arms, and legs with white-painted-black plates and a control panel thingy on his chest. Two tubes protruded from his back to insert into his cheeks, leaving the rest of his face covered with a permanent scowl.

But as soon as my sarcastic comment left my mouth, I regretted it. Master's face contorted into an expression that could only be described as evil and slapped me across the face. **_Hard._**

I slammed back against the wall and choked down a sob that threatened to show itself. Sith weren't supposed to show fear or weakness or tears, so if Master ever saw a tear slip, I knew without a doubt that he would either kill me or send me to the Circle for judgement- and they would kill me as well.

"How dare you even utter those words to me, you pathetic, worthless abomination!" he said, slapping me again, this time drawing blood.

The word "abomination" caused my heart to ache and I squeezed my eyes shut. Everyone in the Order knew of my genetic abnormalities and no one ever let me forget it.

Master took me by my neck and slammed me into the pillar, causing stars to float across my eyes. "If you ever mention my physical disabilities again, you'll lose your legs **_and_** your wings! Do you understand?"

I nodded and he released me, glaring as I gasped for breath on the floor. He turned to leave, but turned back. "Gather Trainees Ce'An and Kun. You will meet me in my chambers at midnight. And when you arrive back at your quarters, you'll find a gift for your fifteenth birthday."

He left without another word.

* * *

I never arrived at my chambers. Upon exiting the training room, I ran all the way to the landing pad for incoming transports and jumped off of it. I felt the wind against my face and for a moment wondered what it would be like to not extend my wings; to just fall and keep falling until my suffering would end on the red dust of Korriban.

But keeping thoughts of suicide out of my head, I extended my wings and felt the wind curve under them as I soared across the sky.

A peaceful smile spread across my features and I let my arms go out as well. I performed flips and spirals in the sun-streaked sky and laughed in pure bliss as I tucked my wings tightly against my body and free fell.

With maybe ten feet to spare however, I spread my wings and the tips of my bare toes grazed the ground. Flying toward the mountains that encased our Academy, I landed and took a deep breath.

Yes. I had wings. I'd had wings since the day I'd been born. I would have wings until the day I died.

No one was sure why I had them, but I knew that it had something to do with my parents, my mother in particular. She used to tell me stories of how a group of humans had lived on the planet of Venatono and evolved into creatures with wings so that they could explore the mountains that were on their home world.

My mother was one.

I remember when I was four that a group of hunters had tried to hurt us and Mom had revealed her pure white wings and flown away with me in her arms. She had taught me how to use mine. I had taught my friend, Nathan.

But the Sith didn't like the fact that we had wings.

In fact, some despised Nathan and I because of it. I didn't see the point in hating us because of our genetic advantages. Togrutas could use echolocation with their montrals. Nautolans could breathe underwater. Teevans and Mirialans were very flexible. Besalisks were incredibly strong because of their four arms. Why should everyone be mean to us because we had wings?

Sighing, I walked closer to the edge of the cliffs and looked downward. It was a five hundred foot drop, easily able to kill a person if they fell off; whether it be by accident or on purpose.

**_Maybe it would be better just to end all of this._**

**_Rest, _**I thought, almost drooling at the thought of eternal sleep and painlessness. **_I want rest._**

"If you jump, I'm coming with you."

The deep, husky voice startled me, but only a little since I knew who it was. "Would you really do that, Nathan? Jump off a cliff with me and **_not _**spread your wings?"

I could almost see in my head the blinding white teeth bared in a grin as he laughed. "You could use a friend in the flames of Hades, Angel."

Turning around to give him a scowl, I blushed furiously at what I saw. Nathan's black hair was sticking up in all directions messed up from the wind and his defined, scarred torso was very visible to me as I ran my eyes over it. He wore only tight leather pants that hugged his groin in such a away that the bulge in his pants was on display for anyone who laid eyes on it. Swallowing the spit in my mouth that threatened to turn into drool, I replied, "It's ironic that you call me 'Angel,' considering we're all going to hell."

"I have a feeling that they would have an exception for you."

A small smile revealed itself across my features. "And you?"

"One look at me and they would immediately write me off the spawn of the devil," he responded, giving me a grin that spelled out only one word: trouble.

But his grin faded and he stepped toward me. Taking my face in his hands, he rubbed his thumb over my busted lip. "What did he do to you?"

I didn't even have to ask who he was talking about. It was a well known fact between Nathan and I- and my other friend, Vette- that Master hit me and sometimes did worse. It left bruises and cuts and when I really pissed him off, broken bones.

"I said something about his life support suit," I responded, a little distracted by his close proximity. He was hardly wearing anything and I was only clad in skin-tight shorts and a black sports bra.

Nathan rubbed his hands over my own and I resisted reacting to the shivers it sent down my spine. "Did it hurt?"

I nodded slowly and let my head hang. My sun-kissed hair fell into my eyes and I said, "I should have learned not to insult him by now." Nathan pulled me into a hug and I accepted it, wrapping my arms around him.

"I think this is a good thing," he said, resting his chin on the top of my head. "He needs to know that not everyone is afraid of him."

"What if I am?"

He looked down at me with eyes that practically leaked sorrow and pain. "We'll have to work on that."

Nathan wasn't like other Sith. He could wield dark and deadly powers yes, but he did it with a grace that only a true warrior could have. He showed compassion to those in need and only killed when there was no other choice or when pushed to the breaking point. To another Sith, he was weak. To me and Vette, he was the best Sith of all time.

I shivered as a cold wind blew in from the north. "We should be getting back. I'm hungry and Master has requested our presence tonight, along with Vette's."

He nodded, then smiled softly. "I almost forgot." Pulling out a crystal from his pocket, he placed it in my hand. "Happy fifteenth birthday, Angel."

I looked down at the small crystal and gasped. It was a lightsaber crystal. I looked up at Nathan excitedly and asked, "Did you and Vette really get me another lightsaber?"

He shrugged as if it was no big deal, but I hugged him again and said, "Thanks, Nathan."

He returned the hug and his fingers touched the slits in my back where my wings were concealed. This time, I couldn't stop the shudders that went throughout my body, stimulating every known part of my anatomy. Nathan didn't notice however, and asked, "Cold?"

I nodded and he smiled down at me. "Come on. We'll get you some coffee in the cafeteria."

Without another word, we unfolded our wings and soared back to the Academy.

* * *

**Out of curiosity, has anyone played The Old Republic online, because I decided to borrow Vette for this story. The two won't be completely alike, but they'll both be Twi'leks that enjoy silly pranks and standing up to authority. Anyway, if you have any questions about "the winged people" as I'll refer to them right now, just shoot me a PM and we'll talk, 'kay? Peace out.**


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